Parents who are going away for an extended period of time (such as on vacation, on a business trip or for hospitalization) are often concerned about what would happen if a minor child who was left behind needed immediate attention for a health care problem.

Under Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 201F, parents can give written authorization to allow their minor child’s caregiver to make educational and/or health care decisions. The caregiver must certify that the child is living with the caregiver. The authority given in the affidavit to the caregiver does not eliminate the parent’s legal right to make all final decisions, and the parent can override the decisions of the caregiver.

Executing a Caregiver Authorization Affidavit appears to be an easy and effective way for a parent to give temporary decision-making authority to the person with whom their minor child will be staying during the parent’s absence.